When I think about four years ago, April 2020, I lost my husband to Covid. I lost my job, the one I loved, I lost my husband’s social security and I was too young at the time to collect. However my bills and mortgage still came. I couldn’t get in touch with anyone from the NYC pension office. So, for four months, no money came in. I was alone. No one came because of Covid. I did survive, like so many of us. But it still bothers me when people say you are strong. I say I am resilient because I had no choice.

Here is to all us survivors who managed to come out of the tsunami …